What to do in Chamonix, France

If you had to ask me which city I wish I had got to explore more during our trip it would have been Chamonix. Chamonix is situated in a mountainous region of South-Eastern France. It’s about an hour drive away from Annecy, making it a great day trip destination!

We were in Chamonix amidst the summer months but it was refreshingly chilly both in Chamonix and high up in its mountains. The town has great restaurants and things to do.

Since we were only in Chamonix for a day, our primary adventure lied in taking the Montenvers train up to Mer de Glace, the glacier alongside Mont Blanc that they carve an ice cave into every year. It’s pretty stunning and worth the long stair climb in and out of the cave.

We bought our tickets for the first train from Chamonix and headed over to Elevation 1904 for coffee and chocolate pastries. Then, we boarded the train for our 30 minute climb to the top! It was a stunning ride with great views of the valley below on one side and the forest on the other. Once we reached the top, you take a gondola ride down toward the glacier (or you can hike down). Then, there are stairs to climb down to the entrance of the ice cave.

It was a very smart decision to be on the first train. We were one of about 5 people exploring the cave that morning, which led to some great photographs! Once we were finished looking at the ice cave, we climbed the stairs back to the gondola and took the gondola back to the train. The train cycles every 30-60 minutes, depending on demand.

We headed straight for La Flambee for fondue to warm up after our Mer de Glace excursion. It was delicious and just the thing for a chilly day. We walked around downtown Chamonix for a bit more (and got some ice cream!) before driving back to our home base at Annecy.

I would love to visit Chamonix again for its charm and winter activities! I’m sure on a clear day, viewing the surrounding mountains is simply stunning!